The Rieger in the Press

September 27, 2017
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8 Restaurants You Can’t Miss in Kansas City, Missouri
Katie Chang

For hungry travelers, the city of Kansas City, Missouri, is forever synonymous with two things: barbecue
and steakhouses. While both are undoubtedly worth tucking into, there’s far more to dining in KC than
smoky, meaty pleasures. Lots more, actually. Below are eight places making the Paris of the Plains more
vibrant and deliciously diverse than ever.

Ça Va
This intimate, rustic bar in Westport is proving that bubbles are terrific for everyday drinking, not just for
special occasions. To that end, it offers proper champagne, alongside other lesser known sparklers from
all over the world. (During my visit, for example: I downed a couple glasses of the super-crisp, dry, and
surprisingly affordable Von Winning Sekt Riesling from Germany.) Food-wise, you’ll find savory, wine-
friendly snacks such as duck fat kettle corn, pommes frites and freshly-shucked oysters. Even better? The
staff and manager, Caitlin Corcoran, are refreshingly easy going and lovely to chat with. (Corcoran tipped
me off to the pie shake – as the name implies, a slice of pie blended into a shake – an off-menu item from
Town Topic.) 4149 Pennsylvania Avenue; 816-255-3934; cavakc.com

The Rieger
Located on the ground floor of the historic Rieger Hotel, The Rieger is the kind of restaurant every downtown
neighborhood deserves. For starters: chef and owner Howard Hanna has created a menu of familiar
favorites, like his buttery potato rolls and toothsome, housemade pastas. Also: there’s daily dinner specials,
ranging from proteins to desserts. The front bar is a chill, but chic nook to kick back with well-crafted drinks
and snacks. When the weather’s fine, be sure to snag a coveted seat in the patio. And if you’re in the mood
to chase the night, head downstairs to Manifesto, the cozy, dimly-lit cocktail den led by Ryan Maybee. 1924
Main Street; 816-471-2177; theriegerkc.com

“I learned a ton about using things like chamomile tea flowers, rose geranium, orange blossom – those
types of things can be really beautiful when they’re done well,” Beeman says. “I love incorporating herbs
and spices and different types of ingredients that you might not expect in a dessert.”

The Rieger will be Beeman’s first time working as the head pastry chef in a restaurant setting. She’s used
to plating desserts at Sofra, where she also taught pastry classes alongside Kilpatrick. It was important to
her, she says, that when she returned to Kansas City, she could find a position that allowed her to stretch
her skill set.

“I was really interested in creating desserts that didn't have to sit at a counter all day,” she says. “I love
creating things that have different textures and elements and are more of an experience. I feel like Howard
and I have a similar approach – the food at The Rieger is rustic and not super fussy, but it’s also refined.
There’s this balance between classic and modern approaches, and I think we have that in common.”

Hanna echoes Beeman’s sentiments, adding that he values her different perspective and interesting take
on developing a dessert menu.

“I think her style makes sense with the food we do here,” Hanna says. “She has a good grasp on ways to
do desserts that aren't as sweet as Western pastry tends to be, and she also incorporates a lot of spices
that might seem different. She's about flavors and textures and not ornate presentation. I think she gets
what we do, and I’m really looking forward to all the new ideas and knowledge she’s bringing to the team.”

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